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Minutes ago, the Twins announced additions to their 40 man roster. RHP David Bromberg, OF Joe Benson, 1B Chris Parmelee, and OF Rene Tosoni were the four players added at this time. The Twins are at 38 players on their 40 man roster, leaving room for a free agent signing, maybe a Japanese import, and/or a Rule 5 pick.

Also, Eric Hacker, who Joe Christensen wrote about a couple of weeks ago, was officially added to the 40 man roster. According to Christensen, the team also re-signed Justin Huber to a minor league contract. He is playing in the Australian Baseball League after spending the 2010 season in Japan.

If you want to see my thoughts on these guys or others that I thought should be considered, just scroll down the page. I would guess that there is a good chance that Kyle Waldrop, who was re-signed to a minor league deal last week, has a good chance of being selected by someone in the Rule 5 draft because he could stick in the big leagues. I also think that Steve Singleton is nearly big-league ready as well, and I think that he could be selected, although again, he wasn’t last year.

For more on the Twins 40 man roster, all the Minor League signings, what is going on with Twins prospects in the Winter Leagues, a final look at the Arizona Fall League and much more, please tune in to a special edition of the Twins Minor League Weekly podcast live tonight at 9:30. David Bromberg will be one of the guests. Tune in and learn lots!!

I guess I’m not surprised that they didn’t add Singleton, because he made it through Rule 5 last year. He’s in a tough position. He’s a guy that can play….and he proves it every year. In my estimation he’s the best 2B option they have in-house, and arguably as good or better than any FA they would sign. But guys that “can play” aren’t the guys that get the opportunites to go up and show they can play. It’s the toolsy prospects, who more often than not…can’t play (De Los Santos…etc…). Maybe he gets a shot to get there this year. In my book, I’ll take a guy that can hit, has pop in his bat, and can play the position, over a guy I “hope” will hit and play the position, any day.

Yeh, that headline is really inventive, but actually the Twins web site headline is “Twins Add Four PLAYERS to 40 Man Roster” (emphasis added).

I think when the Twins signed Waldrop to a minor league contract it was clear they weren’t going to add him to the major league roster. He didn’t pitch well enough in the AFL to make a team think he is ready to help right now. And his upside isn’t high enough to hide him on the roster for a year.

“In my book, I’ll take a guy that can hit, has pop in his bat, and can play the position, over a guy I “hope” will hit and play the position, any day.”

You have to be able to play in the big leagues, not the minors. The jump from the minor leagues to the big leagues is huge. And guys who lack major league tools won’t make that jump, regardless of how polished they are as players. Singleton looks like a guy whose glove and bat are both marginal for the big leagues. He may be able to play as a major leaguer, but more likely his upside is a AAAA player. Not the kind of player you gamble $50,000 on.

Have you seen Singleton play? Or are you coming at this from the perspective of a blogger? At the end of the day, players play…and everything else is….well, everything else. Ask the players what they think, if you have access to any to them. They usually know who can play and who can’t….regardless of hype and “projection”. Singleton’s bat and glove play very well for the big leagues. But…you’re right, if you’re the guy who doesn’t think so and you pull the strings….then no one will ever know.

There is this thought that if a guy didn’t/doesn’t get a big league opportunity it’s because he wasn’t/isn’t good enough. That’s as believable as all the guys who actually do get there ARE good enough.

Just because front office guys are who they are, doesn’t mean that they don’t get it wrong. Was Dan Uggla just not any good because the Red Sox said so? I guess not. Was David Ortiz destined to never be a power hitter because the Twins thought that? Guess not.

I’m suggesting here, because I’ve seen Singleton play and I’ve taked to guys he’s played with, that he is a viable big league option…and not marginal at best, as you suggest, but a very viable option for the Twins at 2B…this year.

But I’m sure you know better, as you seem to know what it takes to be a big leaguer.

“Was David Ortiz destined to never be a power hitter because the Twins thought that?”

Did the Twins think that? No. They did think LeCroy was a better hitter and that Ortiz was having trouble staying healthy. They offered Ortiz to every team in baseball and no one was willing to take on his likely arbitration award. Then there is that whole steroids thing … Was it a coincidence that Ortiz stopped hitting when they started testing?

“Was Dan Uggla just not any good because the Red Sox said so”

I don’t know what the Red Sox thought of Uggla. I thought the Marlins took him from the Diamondbacks. I am not sure that means the Diamondbacks had given up on him. It does mean they underestimated him.

I am certainly not arguing that any organization is infallible. But 29 teams passed on Singleton last year. I don’t think there are players who have the ability to be plus major leaguers who fail to get an opportunity. Teams are desperate for truly major league quality players. That’s why there are so many players who are given the opportunity and fail at the major league level.

Singleton is the kind of player who will need to be in the right place at the right time to have much of a major league career. He really doesn’t fit as a role player. He isn’t fast, his defense isn’t outstanding and his bat is just good enough.

The headline? “Rule Five Draft Proves Uneventful”. Uggla was not even one of the early picks in that draft. The Marlins took him because they had a hole at second base. And yes, the same thing could happen with Singelton. Its just not very likely.

The bearish position on Singleton is an easy one here….because he has not gotten an opportunity. It tends to be that way on most guys that haven’t had their shot. While the bullish position is also easy on those that are being “pushed” and are getting a shot.

It is obvious that the Twins don’t think that they will lose him next month, (or don’t care). I would think that it is the former, but I don’t have access to the inside of those meetings.

The Twins, too, have a hole at 2B. I happen to think that he’s the best guy in the organization to fill it.

So…we agree that he probably will not be taken, but disagree on his upside and the type of major leaguer he will be.

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